Valve mechanism.



W. H. SGHULTB.` VALVE MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1910. 4

` Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

3 wv@ n Foz WW1/Lewes ai 'l 1J o WILLIAM H. SCHULTE, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

VALVE `iuncnnnrsrlr Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application lled April 27, 1910. Serial No. 558,039.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SCHULTE,

a citizen of-the United States, residing at Trenton, Mercer county, New Jersey, have lever controlled valves, and consists in certain novel features of construction hereinafter fully pointed out, by which many advantages hereinafter more particularly mentioned are attained.

In the drawings, I have shown the invention as applied to a tank in which a float is alixed to the controlling. lever, whereby when the water level ascends to a certain height the valve will close, which lever, when .part of the tank with my improved valve located therein, certain parts being shown in vertical section, others in elevation, the valve in this instance bein closed, the tank being in a different position, the valve being open. Fig. 3 is a section of -the valve apparatuson the plane ofthe line .9a- Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 andPSare detail views of detached parts.

1 represents the valve case, which in this particular instance has a cylindrical bore in.

which the valve itself moves.

A2 represents the main shut-oit valve, the same having a cylindrical guide port-ion 3 located within the bore of the case 1.

b 4 is the supply. pipe leading into aV cham- 6 is an outlet ipe, which communicates with a chamber The chambers 5 and 7 are connected by a passage which is controlled by the main valve 2, which passage is shown as closed in Figs. 1 and 3, and as open in Fig. 2.

lower end of the main valve, where y, should the stem 9 be further lifted, it will positively force the main valve 2 from its seat.

8 is a secondary or relief valve, whichv 11 is a small passage which connects the chamber 5 with the space above the guide 3 for the main valve. 12 is a cap which 'closes the upper end of said space, said cap being preferably detachably secured to the up er end of the cylindrical part 1 of the va ve casln'g, whereby when said cap is removed access may be had to the valves.

13 is. a bracket carrying a lever 14, the same being suitably connected to the valve stem 9, whereby as the lever 14 is tilted, said yvalve stem will be moved.

15-16 are toggle links pivoted together at 17, the toggle 15 being pivoted at 18 to the lever 14, the toggle 16 being pivoted at 19 to the bracket 13.

20 is the controlling lever pivoted on the center 19 independently of the toggle lever 16. In this particular instance, the lever 20 carries the float 21.

22 is what I will term a toggle lug car,- ried by the lever 20, while 23 is another toggle lug carried b the toggle link 15.

24 is a stop to limit t e swing of the toggle links in one direction. full. Fig. 2 is a simi ar view, the parts being 25 is the toggle trip and safety arm carrled by the toggle link 16.

26 represents part'. of a tank arranged to contain liquid.

It is to be understood that the parts I have thus far described, are merely a preferred arrangement, and that said parts may be modified in design and proportion to suit the particular exigencies of each particular case.

The operation of the deviceis as follows: Liquid under pressure is supplied through the pipe 4. Starting with the parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that the tank is filled to the normal intended level. In this position, the liquid supplied through pipe 4 passes through chamber 5 and vthrough passage 11 into the space above the main valve 2 and relief valve 8, so that the pressure of said liquid on said valves is in a direction to hold the same closed. If the level of the liquid in the tank 6 is lowered,

and thence through pipe 6 into the tank 26. ,Y all occasions is comparatively light, it never vBy reason of the relative area of the pas` y sages, the water fiows more rapidly past the relief valve 8 than it can flow through passage 11 into the space above said' valve.

v This relieves the pressure on top of the main valve 2, so that the pressure of the liquid within the chamber 5 and underneath the main valve 2 will cause the same to automatically open to the position shown in Fig. 2, thus letting the liquid flow from pipe 4 and chamber 5 into chamber 7 and pipe 6, the last mentioned pipe discharging said liquid into the tank 26. If. for any `reason the main valve 2 should fail to open by the pressure of liquid under it, it will be forced 'open mechanically by the continued descent of the lever 20, for eventually, it will be seen, that the lever 20 will engagel the toggle link 16 and cause this link, together with its companion link 15, to straighten out, thus tilting lever 14 and positively unseating the main valve 2. -As the tank 2G is re-fllling, the ioat 21 will rise with the rising liquid, but it will not have any effect upon the valve until the water level has reached practically its intended high level, at which time the controlling lever 20 will engage the toggle trip 25 and swing the toggles from the dead-center posltion indicated in Flg. 2 towardy the position indicated in Fig. -1. This first immediately closes the relief valve, whereupon the liquid from the supply pipe 4 will pass through the passage 11 into the space above the main valve 2 and will overbalanee the pressure on said valve so that th`e latter will quickly descendV and close the passage from chamber 5 to chamber 7 thus shutting off the supply to the tank. If for any reason this closing action should not be prompt, the rising of the water level in the tank 26 would cause the lever 20, then in engagement with the toggle trip and safety 25, to swing the toggles 15-16 to t-he position indicated in, lig.l 1, wherein the main valve 2 and the relief valve S are completely closed.

I have found that under all ordinary circumstances the main valve 2 will be automatically operated reliably in both directions, namely, in a direction to open quickly and in a direction to close quickly. By this arrangement the full flow of the water is guaranteed from the sup ly pipe 4 into the tank, while the latter is eingfilled, which supply is quickly cut off at the end of the filling operation without the disagreeable hissing sound, orhammering, so common in the ordinary valves used for this purpose, and which occurs for a considerable period just prior to the final shutting off of the water. Another decided advantage arising from the im rovement herein described,

is found in the act that only a short leverI being required to hold the valve closed, since when once closed the pressure of the supply performs that function', 4the cross sectional areavon the upper end of the main valve bethe exposed part of the lower end of said main valve when the latter is closed.i Under all ordinary conditions the work of the lever arm 20 is comparatively light; The toggle arrangement, however, is such that even though considerable power were required on special occasions to move the main valve 2, in the event the same should stick, its power is quite sufficient to accomplish that end by reason of the arrangement of said linkage, which, by the way, is always supplemented by the pressure of the water from Jthe main supply in the proper direction.

It will be observed that the operating lever has a limited amount of free movement in lboth directions,y rlativel y to the toggles. This is important, in that it affords the aforesaid quick opening and quick closing operation. It will also be observed that when the valved passageis closcd,'there is no strain upon the operating lever 20, since the toggle links are alined on a dead-'center, or substantially so.

lVhile I have shown a preferred embodiment of link mechanism for securing the desired results and .likewise a preferred arrangement of the pressure chamber which is controlled by the relief valve 8, I am aw'are that a variety of modifications can be resorted to in all of these features as well as in other features before referred to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invenhon, it being broadlymy purpose to disclose mechanism by which a quick opening and quick closing movement of the valve mechanism is effected, said' valve mechanism during its open period'being fully open so4 lng in excess of the cross sectional area of first start the toggle links 15-.16 from their angular position shown in Fig." lvtowardv the straight position shown in Fig. 2, with the result that should the valve be stuck V upon its seat, the compound toggle action first operates to partiallyV straighten out the toggle links 15-16 with a very powerful movement, so that w'ith a comparatively short lever arm 20 and a comparatively light ball 21, the final straightening out operatlon employed for forcing the main valve 2 from its seat may be successfully accomplished.

It will therefore be understood that, so far as the 4word compound is employed in the following claims, it refers to and identifies a dual cooperating toggle system employing .parts similar or .equivalent to the parts l5-16 and the parts 22--23.

What I claim is: f

1. In a valve construction, a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a passage leadinfr fronnl the inlet to the outlet, a main va ve for said passage, a pressure chamber above said valve, a passage communicating from the inlet to said pressure chamber, an outletfrom said pressure chamber, a relief valvetherefor lever mechanism for operating said relief including toggle links, and an operating pivoted lever capable of limited movement independently of said links but arranged to engage and operate said links at the ends of said limited movement in both directions.

2. In a valve construction, a casing havingan inlet and an outlet, a passage leading from the inlet to the outlet, a main valve for said passage, a pressure chamber above said valve, a passage communicating from the inlet to said pressure chamber, an outlet from said pressure chamber, a relief valve therefor, lever mechanism for operating said relief valve, said lever 'mechanism'including toggle links, a pivoted lever capable of limited movement independently of said links but arranged to engage vand operate said links at the ends of said limited movement in -both directions, andtoggle lugs, one of said lugs being carried by said operating lever, the other lug being carried by one of said toggle links.

3. In a valve mechanism, a valve casing having-a passage to be controlled, a main valve for said passage, a pressure chamber aboveI the valve arranged to receive fluid under pressure to-move said main valve in a direction to close said passage, a relief valve to release the pressure in saidpressure chamber to permit said main valve'to open by. fluid ressure alever for controlling 4said relief va ve, including link mechanism arranged betweenl saidlever and said relief valve, said lever operating said link mechanism to both open and close said valve quickly, said lever having a limited amount p of movement independently of said link mechanism in lboth directions.

4. I'n a valve mechanism, a valve casing having a passage-to be controlled, a main valve for saidpassage, a pressure chamber valve, said lever mechanisml above the valve arranged to receive iiuid under pressure to move the main valve 1n a l direction to close said passage, a relief valve 'ranged between said lever and said relief valve, said lever operating said link mechanism to both open and close said relief valve quickly, said lever having a limited amount of movement independently of said link mechanism in both directions, said link mechanism including toggle links.

5. In a valve mechan1sm,'a valve casing having a passage to be controlled, a main valve for said passage, a pressure chamber above the valve arranged to receive fluid under pressure to move the main valve in a direction to close said passage, a relief valve to release'the pressure in said pressure chamber to permit said main valve to open by fluid pressure, a lever for controlling said relief valve, including link mechanism arranged between said lever and said relief valve, said lever operating said link niechanism to both open and close said relief valve quickly, said lever having a limited amount of movement independently of said link mechanism in both directions, said link mechanism including toggle links land toggle lugs.

6. In a valve mechanism, a valve, means for operating the same, including toggle links arranged to hold said valve open, a lever to release said links to permit said valve to close, and means to ermit said lever to have a limited range o free movement independently of said links.

7. In a valve mechanism, a valve, means for operating the same, including toggle links arranged to hold said valve open, and a lever to release said links to permit said valve to close, said lever cooperating with said links to move them in both directions, said 'lever having a limited amount of lfree movement without moving said links.

8. In a valve mechanism, a valve, means for operating the same including compound toggle linkage and a movable operatin lever therefor, and means to ermit sai lever to have a limited range o free movement independently of said links.

WILLIAM I-I. SCI-IULTE. Witnesses R. C. MITCHELL, IDA M. I-IUNzIKER. 

